Method for making pompons



Feb. 25, 1969 A. LlNs'rEAD METHOD FOR MAKING POMPONS Filed June 29, 1967 FIGI mmm

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ATT'YS mg Feb. 25, 1969 L. A. LINSTAD METHOD FOR MAKING POMPONS United States Patent O 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus and method for making pompons. An elongated generally rectangular panel is provided with a groove along each of its longitudinal edges. A first length of yarn is inserted in one of the grooves, and a second length of yarn is wound transversely about the panel to provide a plurality of turns of yarns around the panel. The first length of yarn is then removed from the groove and tied about the turns, after which the turns are removed either by cutting the portions of the turns passing over the second groove or by sliding the turns longitudinally along the panel toward one of its ends. If the turns are cut, a round pompon may be formed, and if the turns are not cut a flattened pompon or rosette may be formed. The second groove facilitates the cutting step.

Background of the invention It is frequently desired to decorate articles of clothing with yarn -balls or pompons. Pompons are often used to provide the finishing touch to a stocking cap, sweaters, slippers, ice skates, and the like. A rosette or a relatively flat pompon may be attached to the foregoing items to provide an even more distinctive appearance. In the past pompons have usually been made by wrapping yarn about some kind of forming member, severing 4the turns of the yarn, tying the resulting pieces of yarn together and then shaping the yarn to form a ball. These forms are usually circular or semi-circular in shape. With a circular form, each turn of the yarn must be passed through the center of the form, thereby greatly decreasing the facility of the winding operation. After the form is completely wound, the various turns are severed to form relatively short pieces of yarn which are then tied together. Before the short pieces are tied care must be taken to hold them together so that they are not dropped or misaligned. Further, the circular forms can be used only to make round pompons and cannot be used to make rosettes.

Pompons are frequently made with up to l or more yards of yarn which requires 200 or more turns of the yarn about the form. As the number of turns about the curved form increases, the space at the center of the form decreases, and greater care and hence more time must be taken in the winding operation. Further, the turns tend to slide about the curved periphery of the form, and restraining means must frequently be provided along this periphery.

Summary of the invention The inventive form is generally rectangular rather than circular. A groove is provided in each longitudinal edge of the form, and at least one of the grooves is adapted to receive a length of yarn. A second length of yarn is wound transversely about the form, and its rectangular shape facilitates the winding operation. The operator may hold the form in one hand while winding the yarn in the other, and the speed with which the form is wound may be nearly doubled by moving the form in a circle at the same time the yarn is wound. When the winding has been completed, the first length of yarn is removed from the groove and tied securely about the turns before they are Cice cut, thereby eliminating any chance that the relatively short, severed turns may be lost or misaligned. Once the turns are securely tied they may be severed by cutting those portions which extend over the second groove by means of a razor blade, scissors, or the like. If a rosette is to be formed, the turns are not cut and are removed from the form by sliding them longitudinally along the form toward one of its ends. The straight llongitudinal edges of the form securely hold the turns without the necessity of restraining means which may snag the yarn, and as many layers of turns as needed may be Wound without decreasing the facility of the winding operation.

Description of the drawing FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the inventive form;

FIG. 2 is a View taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the form of FIG. 1 with a length of yarn inserted in one of the grooves thereof;

FIG. 4 illustrates a subsequent step in the forming operation showing a second length of yarn being wound about the form;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the first length of yarn being tied about the turns;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the turns being cut;

FIG. 7 is a view of a completed round pompon;

FIG. 8 is a view of a completed rosette pompon;

FIG. 9 is a view of an alternate manner of tying the turns;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the turns being tied; and

FIG. 11 is a view of a set of various sized forms.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the inventive form comprises a generally rectangular panel designated by the numeral 10 having relatively smooth longitudinal edges 11 `and 12 and transverse edges 13 and 14. The panel 10 includes a relatively thin web portion 15 which is also generally rectangular and provides a pair of flat parallel surfaces 16 and 17. Panel 10 also includes a pair of opposed generally U-shaped longitudinal channels 18 and 19 extending transversely from web 15.

Channel 18 includes a bottom wall 20 and a pair of spaced-apart side Walls 21 and 22 which extend outwardly beyond the at surfaces of the web at shoulders 23 and 24, respectively, and which provide groove 25 therebetween. Similarly, channel 19 includes bottom wall 26 and side Iwalls 27 and 28 having shoulders 29 and 30, respectively, and providing groove 31.

Alternatively, the web 15 of reduced cross section may be eliminated and the panel 10 may be provided with a uniform thickness, or the channel-forming sides may merge smoothly with the web, thereby eliminating the shoulders.

Referring to FIG. 3, a first length of yarn 32 is inserted within the groove 25 provided by channel 18. The sides 21 and 22 of channel 18 are spaced so that the groove 25 is wide enough to readily permit the yarn to be inserted therein. Preferably, the yarn 32 is compressed somewhat by sides 21 and 22 as it enters the groove so that it will not inadvertently be removed therefrom.

A second length of yarn generally designated by the A panel 10, the second layer is then formed by winding the yarn in the opposite longitudinal direction on top of the first layer, etc.

Referring to FIG. 5, after the winding is lcompleted the ends of the first length of yarn 32 are removed from the channel 18 and looped about the turns 34 to form loop 35 and draw strings 36. The draw strings are then pulled to tighten the loop 35 to form a knot 37 (FIG. 6). A razor blade 38 or other suitable cutting means is then inserted in groove 31 and moved in `the direction of the arrow to sever the turns 34 as at 39. Each turn is severed in the portion which extends over the groove 31 and provides a discrete length 40 of yarn having a length approximately twice the transverse width of the panel 10. The discrete lengths 40 are held firmly by the knot 37, and may then be uffed or rolled between the hands to form a relatively round pompon 41 (FIG. 7). Because grooves 25 and 31 are directly opposite each other the first length 32 of yarn ties the turns 34 in such a position that each discrete length 40 has approximately the same length. The ends of the discrete lengths 40 of the pompon may be trimmed to shape the pompon as desired, but because of the substantially identically sized lentghs 40, little if any trimming is necessary. Draw strings 36 may be used to secure the pompon in its desired location.

If a rosette is desired to be formed, the turns are again tied by yarn 32 as described hereinbefore. However, rather -than cutting the turns, the turns are slid longitudinally along panel toward one of the transverse edges thereof as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, and this sliding movement is facilitated by the relatively smooth longitudinal edges 11 and 12. The turns are thereby removed from the panel 10 and may be arranged to form a relatively fiat rosette 42 as illustrated in FIG. 8. Again, draw strings 36 may serve as anchoring means for the rosette.

Preferably grooves and 31 are the same size so that the first length of yarn may be inserted in either groove. The opposite groove would then be wide enough to permit the turns to be cut by inserting the ends of a pair of scissors or the like. The grooved panel 10 may advantageously be made integrally by extruding a thermoplastic, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, through a die to form a strip of the desired Width, and then cutting the strip to the desired length.

An alternate method of tying the turns is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The length of yarn 43 is folded on itself to provide a piece of double thickness terminating in a folded portion 44 and a pair of single thickness ends 45, and is then inserted within groove 25 of channel 18. After the second length 33 is wound to provide turns 34, the folded portion 44 and the ends 45 are removed from groove 25. The ends 4S are passed through the loop of the folded portion 44 and pulled to tie the turns 34. Thereafter, the turns may either be cut to form a pompon or slid from the panel 10 to form a rosette.

The firmness or weight of the pompon may be varied by varying the number of turns 34 or the thickness of the yarn 33. For example, a suitable range of pompon weights can be obtained by providing 6U turns, 80 turns, 120 turns, or 200 or more turns. Rather than measuring the firmness of the pompons as a function of the turns 32, it can be measured as a function of the length of the yarn 31. For example, yarn 33 may be 8 yards, 10 yards,

or 12 yards long. Other lengths or number of turns may be used as desired.

The size of the pompon or rosette may be varied by varying the transverse dimension of the panel 10. FIG. 13 illustrates a set of panels 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d having transverse dimensions 13a, 13b, 13C, and 13d, respectively, of different lengths. Generally speaking, the greater the transverse dimension of the panel, the larger the diameter of the pompon. In order to provide suitable variety and adaptability, a number of various sized panels as illustrated in FIG. 13 may be sold as a kit.

While in the foregoing specification, detailed descriptions of embodiments of my invention were set forth for the purpose of explanation, it is to be understood that many of the details herein given may be Varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of making articles of yarn comprising the steps of cutting a first length of yarn, inserting said first length into an elongated groove provided in a longitudinal edge of an elongated generally rectangular panel, said panel having a second elongated groove in the opposite longitudinal edge thereof, holding said panel in one hand while wrapping a second length of yarn transversely about said panel lwith the other hand to provide a plurality of turns of said second length of yarn, pulling the ends of said first length of yarn from the first groove and tying the first length about said turns, and cutting each turn generally opposite the tied portion thereof by inserting a cutting instrument into said second groove.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said panel is rotated by said one hand in the direction opposite to the direction that the second length of yarn is wrapped by the other hand while said second length of yarn is being wrapped.

3. A method of making articles of yarn comprising the steps of cutting a first length of yarn, inserting said first length into an elongated groove provided in a longtiudinal edge of an elongated generally rectangular panel, said panel having a second elongated groove in the opposite longitudinal edge thereof, holding said panel in one hand while wrapping a second length of yarn transversely about said panel with the other hand to provide a plurality of turns of said second length of yarn, pulling the ends of said first length of yarn from the first groove and tying the first length about said turns, and removing said turns from said panel by sliding the turns longitudinally along said panel toward one end of the panel.

4. The method of claim 3 in which said panel is rotated by said one hand in the direction opposite to the direction that the second length of yarn is wrapped by the other hand while said second length of yarn is being wrapped.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,288 6/1913 Rosenberg 28-2 2,311,575 2/ 1943 Robinson 28-2 3,287,785 11/ 1966 Ciroli 28--2 LOUIS K. RIMROD, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 28-2; 223-46 

